Rebloom
Black Dog Institute
Our Team.
This project was made in collaboration with an incredible team of researchers and creatives. Meet the team.
Black Dog Institute
Arts-based Knowledge Translation Lead
Professor Katherine Boydell
Katherine Boydell is a Professor of Mental Health and founder and lead of the award-winning Arts-based Knowledge Translation [AKT] Lab at Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales. She is also Director of Maridulu Budyari Gumal, Sydney Partnership for Health Education Research and Enterprise's [SPHERE] Knowledge Translation Platform. Boydell is Executive Editor of the journal Arts & Health and Associate Editor of Early Intervention in Psychiatry. Her research is participatory and action-oriented and brings the arts into the research process, to generate and disseminate research knowledge. She has published more than 300 journals articles, books and book chapters that highlight the use of body mapping, digital storytelling, photovoice and installation art.
Evaluation Manager
Dr. Diane Macdonald
Dr Diane Macdonald is a mental health postdoctoral researcher at Black Dog Institute. She is also a documentary photographer. Her doctoral work involved photography with women with disability for social change. Diane uses the arts as a way to collect research data from vulnerable groups and also uses the arts as a tool to share research with the broader community. She is also a qualitative investigator on suicide prevention and self-harm studies, including REBLOOM.
Women and Self-Harm Research Team
A/Professor Alexis Whitton
Alexis Whitton is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and and Co-Director of a NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Depression Treatment Precision at the Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales (UNSW). She is internationally recognised for her research on depression and models of care, and for her role in the development of broad-reaching digital mental health interventions. She co-wrote Australia’s first tailored web and smartphone-based intervention for depression, which has over 200,000 users and has been integrated into primary mental health care in Australia. Her research aims to improve the lives of individuals experiencing depression by increasing the early detection of symptoms, facilitating access to affordable evidence-based treatment, and improving the effectiveness of current interventions.
Dr. Aimy Slade
Dr. Aimy Slade is a Research Officer at the Black Dog Institute, where she has contributed to research projects focused on suicide prevention and self-harm. Her recent work investigates the service landscape for suicide prevention in men and examines the precipitants of self-harm in young people. She has also worked on the Vibe Up Study, a clinical trial utilising artificial intelligence-driven optimisation to deliver brief digital mental health interventions for university students experiencing distress.
Smrithi Ravindra
Smrithi Ravindra is a Research Officer at the Black Dog Institute. She brings expertise in mental health and suicide prevention research, influenced by her own lived experience and that of her community. She has recently worked on a trial promoting help-seeking for suicidal men and helped conduct qualitative research on support preferences for young women who self-harm. Smrithi is also a member of the Matilda Centre’s Youth Advisory Board, where she has contributed to over 55 research projects and consultations and led the development of a co-produced youth priorities project.
Helen Christensen
Helen Christensen (AO) is a UNSW Scientia Professor in the Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health at UNSW Sydney, and the former Executive Director and Chief Scientist at Black Dog Institute. Professor Christensen is an internationally recognised expert on using technology to deliver evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of depression, anxiety, suicide, and self-harm. She has been an international leader in developing multi-level interventions for reducing self-harm in Australia. Her research also encompasses prevention of mental health problems in young people through school-based and e-health interventions, the use of digital phenotyping and AI in large-scale clinical and population-based trials.
Demee Rheinberger
Demee Rheinberger is a PhD candidate and Research Officer at University of NSW and Black Dog Institute. Her work largely focuses on suicide prevention and self-harm in adolescents and their families via qualitative exploration. She has been involved in suicide prevention research since 2018, working on LifeSpan – Australia’s largest suicide prevention trial, with a strong focus on crisis and emergency care. During this time, Demee has engaged with adolescents experiencing suicide crisis or engaging in self-harm, emergency department users, support persons, and hospital staff to understand how the ED system influences the care available to individuals in suicide distress.
Samantha Tang
Dr Samantha Tang is a Research Fellow at the Black Dog Institute, where she conducts research on suicide prevention and self-harm. She completed her PhD and Master of Psychology (Clinical) at UNSW Sydney in 2020. Her current research focuses on understanding the experiences of self-harm among young people, aged 12-25. Dr Tang has also published research in the areas of male suicide prevention, youth mental health and behavioural neuroscience. In addition to her work at the Black Dog Institute, Dr Tang works as a Clinical Psychologist in a research setting.
Zebrar | Creative Technology Studio
Co-founder & CEO
Simone Clow
Simone Clow is the award-winning CEO and co-founder of Zebrar, a creative technology company pioneering immersive experiences that blend technology, creativity, and purpose. As a founding member of the Australian Metaverse Advisory Council, Simone is at the forefront of shaping the future of virtual worlds and immersive storytelling, championing the responsible development and adoption of emerging technologies.
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With a career spanning advertising, visual effects, and experiential content, Simone has led high-profile projects across London, New York, and Sydney. Her portfolio includes major productions such as Saturday Night Live and the Oscar-winning Hacksaw Ridge. This breadth of experience laid the foundation for her transition into immersive technology, where she recognized the potential to redefine storytelling and create meaningful impact.
Since co-founding Zebrar in 2017, Simone has been driving the creation of interactive experiences that challenge boundaries and deliver real-world results. As a thought leader in Spatial Computing, XR, and the Metaverse, she is a sought-after speaker, offering insight and vision on the intersection of technology, creativity, and social change. Whether discussing the evolution of immersive experiences or the role of technology in shaping the future, Simone brings a rare blend of expertise, authenticity, and inspiration to every conversation.
Co-founder & VFX Supervisor
Andrew Lodge
Andrew Lodge is a seasoned Visual Effects Supervisor with over 20 years of experience in CGI for the film and TV commercial industry. His impressive film credits include Lego Star Wars, Marvel’s Iron Man, and The Hunger Games, among others. Transitioning from traditional VFX, Andrew has become a leader in the immersive technology space, specializing in creating photorealistic content for real-time applications at the highest visual fidelity.
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A key part of his expertise lies in photogrammetry—digitally recreating physical spaces or environments for cutting-edge applications such as virtual production and digital twins. As Co-Founder and VFX Supervisor at Zebrar, Andrew continues to redefine visual storytelling, merging artistry with technological innovation.
Creative Director
Richard Swan
Richard Swan is an accomplished Creative Director known for his multi-disciplinary approach, blending strategic thinking with masterful execution. With a rich background in architecture, broadcast branding, visual effects, and content directing, Richard brings a distinct perspective to every project, elevating conceptual thinking and delivering exceptional creative solutions.
With over 15 years specializing in experiential direction, Richard has honed his expertise in spatial storytelling and audience engagement, creating immersive environments that resonate on both emotional and sensory levels. His passion for crafting unforgettable experiences is matched by his intuitive understanding of space and interaction.
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Having collaborated with Zebrar since its inception, Richard’s creative direction seamlessly integrates with the team’s ethos, contributing to projects that redefine immersive storytelling. His portfolio spans contract-based projects across Australia and the globe, including recent collaborations with Made This and Supergiant. Previously, he served as Creative Director at Artists in Motion, International Head of Creative Excellence at Imagination, and Founding Creative Director at VANDAL.
Richard is dedicated to delivering best-in-class creative, focusing on high-end craftsmanship, emotional resonance, and a deep connection to the environments he works within. His visionary approach continues to shape innovative and impactful experiences across the industry.
Senior Technical Artist
Sam Elmohamed
Samuel Elmohamed is a Senior Technical Artist at Zebrar, where he specializes in bridging the gap between art and technology to create immersive real-time experiences. He graduated from the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) in 2018, having completed an Advanced Diploma in Game Art.
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At Zebrar, Samuel applies his expertise in real-time graphics and interactive design to develop cutting-edge solutions in the realms of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR). His role involves collaborating closely with artists and developers to ensure seamless integration of artistic vision and technical implementation, thereby enhancing the visual fidelity and performance of Zebrar's projects.
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Samuel's proficiency in both artistic and technical domains enables him to tackle complex challenges in the production pipeline, optimizing workflows and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in interactive media. His contributions are integral to Zebrar's mission of delivering unique and engaging user experiences through the fusion of art and technology.
Lead Software Developer
John Doolan
John Doolan is one of Australia’s foremost Software Engineers and Graphics Programmers, with over 30 years of commercial programming experience. A passionate coder since the age of 8, John has honed his expertise across a wide range of disciplines, including AR/VR/XR development, real-time graphics, and immersive technology. His contributions to the development community are well-recognized, including founding and leading the Official UE4/UE5 Sydney Meetup, a thriving hub for Unreal Engine enthusiasts and professionals.
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John’s deep technical knowledge and innovative mindset have been instrumental in shaping Zebrar’s groundbreaking work in real-time immersive technology. As Zebrar’s Lead Software Developer, he spearheads the tech team, driving the development of proprietary tools and platforms that set the company apart. With an exceptional ability to merge creative vision with technical execution, John ensures Zebrar stays at the forefront of technological innovation, delivering impactful solutions for a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
University of Technology Sydney
Uber Curator
Dr. Barbara Doran
Dr Barbara Doran is the curator of the Knowledge Translation Platform for SPHERE – the Sydney Partnership in Health Research Education Research and Enterprise. In this role Barbara brings research alive by curating the arts and mobilising teams of diverse groups of people. These include artists, researchers, health consumers, and the public and private sectors. Barbara draws on her practice as a transdisciplinary artist, researcher and educator with a specific interest in wellbeing and the value of the arts in working with complex systems. For over 25 years, Barbara has worked as an artist, creative director and educator in public well-being and creativity. She has exhibited artwork internationally and has twice been awarded the UN Bioethics and Art prize for photography. Often referred to as a renaissance woman, she is the Director of the Creative Intelligence and Strategic Innovation Program at the Transdisciplinary School, University of Technology.
UTS Intern
Cameron Ghannoum is a recent graduate of Media Arts and Production and Creative Intelligence and Innovation at UTS. As an aspiring filmmaker, he is continuing to build a diverse portfolio of projects, both in his core discipline and elsewhere.
UTS Intern
Connor Flood
Connor Flood is a current UTS student completing a bachelor of Engineering and Creative Intelligence & Innovation. Helped with the creation of the website for this project.
Student
Monica Mayer
FORM Dance Projects
FORM Dance Projects is leading producer and presenter of Australian independent contemporary dance in Western Sydney. FORM is an artist-lead organisation, operating with highly experienced leadership team of Paul Selwyn Norton as Creative Director and Naomi Hibberd as Creative Producer. As festival directors, producers and pedagogues FORM brings it’s entrepreneurial expertise and global connectivity to the local NSW dance sector.
Choreographer
Naomi Hibberd
Naomi Hibberd is an experienced dancer, teacher, producer and industry professional. She is currently the creative producer at FORM Dance Projects and is passionate about supporting local dance artists in producing and presenting their work. Trained at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance (UK), Naomi holds a 1st class Bachelor Arts Degree. She went on to perform with the Rambert Dance Company, Balbir Singh Dance Company, and was a lead dancer in Didi Veldman’s Peter and the Wolf. Since returning to Australia in 2013 she has performed in Graeme Murphy’s The Merry Widow for Opera Australia, Theatre of Image Brett and Wendy choreographed by Lucas Jervis, as well as works by local and international independent artists. As a producer she has worked with many local, interstate and international artists and has produced works for Sydney Festival and Sydney Opera House.
Dancer
Tara Kinajil-Moran
Born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand, Tara Kinajil-Moran is a versatile contemporary dancer with a rich background in diverse training and performance. As a Classical and Contemporary Scholar and Associate with the New Zealand School of Dance, Tara developed a strong foundation in dance. She further honed her craft by completing Brent Street's Fulltime Contemporary Program (2023-2024) under Jessica Hesketh, where she earned an Advanced Diploma of Professional Dance. Her training spans multiple techniques, including Ballet and Contemporary techniques such as Graham, Horton, Cunningham, Counter Technique, and Partner Work.
Tara’s performance credits include notable works such as Pile of Bones (reworked by Samantha Hines)(2023) by Stephanie Lake, Hi (2023) by Holly Doyle, Chronoception (2024) by Charmene Yap, and The Great Restructure (2024) by Stephen Tannos. She has also collaborated with the Tim Podesta Collective on Forte (2024) and participated in Form Dance's IDEA Workshops with JiÅ™í Pokorný as well as workshops overseas with schools such as Performing Arts Research and Training Studios in Belgium (2025) and the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance in Austria (2025).
Currently, Tara is furthering her artistic development through the Pre-Professional Program at the Australasian Dance Collective, training under the guidance of Alison Currie and Amy Hollingsworth, immersing herself in a process of creative exploration and artistic evolution.